Medical examiner trying to ID Cleveland child seeks public help

CLEVELAND — A county medical examiner trying to identify a boy whose remains were found in the backyard of a Cleveland home in September is asking for the public's help.

Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Thomas Gilson said Wednesday his office has “exhausted all of its efforts” to identify the remains of a boy estimated to be 4 years old.

Gilson says the county's Regional Forensic Science Laboratory has developed a DNA profile to determine the boy's gender but can't say what his race is at this point. The DNA profile will be available to compare with potential matches with relatives.

Authorities are asking anyone who has a relative around that age who's been reported missing or whom they haven't seen recently to contact Cleveland police or the Medical Examiner's Office.